Met Office Issues Yellow Warnings for Thunderstorms and Heavy Rain Across UK

The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for thunderstorms and heavy rain affecting much of England and Wales on Wednesday and Thursday. The warnings for Wednesday are valid from 03:00 until 22:00 BST and cover the Midlands, parts of northern, eastern, and southern England, as well as the far east of Wales. A second yellow warning is in place for Thursday from 06:00 until 22:00 BST.

Forecasters warn that heavy rain could lead to flash flooding and travel disruption. Some locations may see 20 to 30mm of rain within an hour, with accumulations potentially reaching 50mm over a few hours. On Thursday, eastern facing hills could record up to 75mm of rain over 12 hours. Additional hazards include large hail and frequent lightning. Driving conditions are expected to be difficult, and some roads may close.

Northern Ireland is expected to see less intense showers, while much of Scotland will remain dry with sunny spells, though some showers may hit the south west later. The upcoming rain is expected to be the wettest weather in many weeks for some southern areas. For example, Brize Norton in Oxfordshire has recorded only 0.4mm of rain so far in August, and Kew Gardens recorded no rain in July.

Experts note that thunderstorms are often hit and miss, which means weather apps may struggle to pinpoint exactly where the heaviest rain will fall. The storms are being generated by warm humid air interacting with colder air pushing in from the west.